Our head teacher Mrs. Figueroa (Maricela) has always had a passion for children.  As a teenager she enjoyed babysitting for friends and family.  As a young adult her education focused on Child Development which led her to pursue teaching as her main focus.  As an adult she became involved with Scouting when she and her husband signed up their 2 boys to Scouting.  Her love for children led her to become an Adult Leader there.  A major accomplishment for her while volunteering in Scouting was earning the Merit Award given to her by the Long Beach Area Council District.  It's an award that is given at a high level during a ceremony for her significant contributions to the Long Beach Area Scouting Program.  Feel free to ask her about how she earned it.

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Her second passion is Culinary Arts which led her to attend Culinary School where she graduated with honors.  She always dreamed about opening up her own daycare and plans to incorporate a small level of her culinary skills in the childcare environment.

Relevant to the Childcare Program, Mrs. Figueroa has worked in both public, small private, and larger well-known private school settings.  That experience in these settings has opened her eyes to different aspects of what works and what doesn't.  She learned best practices, safety, and effective teaching methods. 

Her passion for children and their learning extended far beyond the school setting and she also proudly served as Cub Scout Day Camp Director for 2 years where she ran a Summer program for the Scouts of America.  The program is non-profit and volunteer ran.

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With that passion in mind, she has finally decided to open a family childcare where she plans to dedicate herself to teaching and caring for children in a fun, safe, education, and nurturing environment.  When the opportunity presents itself, she plans to incorporate a farm to table culinary twist into her lessons.

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